This is a bit short, also I wrote it I think within the span of the past hour and a half? I'm about to edit it, but I'm gonna try to update weekly. I swear next chapter is way more interesting, okay? Zauren shippers might like this chap ayyee. Italics is the dream. (Oh yeah, song on the side is just how Aaliyah feels for Zayn tbh, but the dream part fits well with her dreaming) Also meadow Liyah I guess aha
Chapter 7
Being at home was suddenly a completely different experience; it was like that last time, too.
After living in England I had adapted so quickly to the atmosphere there, so now everything I knew before was a little stranger than when it was all that I knew. American accents weren't strange to me; that's kind of from knowing Sasha and Lexi, plus a few others. What was strange, however, was the lack of English accents. If it weren't for Zayn it'd probably be even weirder for me.
It was also the other tiny, but major things about the transition that made things funny. For example, switching from pounds back to dollars, or the sides of the roads that we drove on. I was going to have to get used to America again so these trips weren't so disruptive to me. Maybe over the summer I'd spend all my time here again.
Seeing my girls again was definitely a great relief. We made plans for sleepovers like the old days once Zayn was gone, but while he was still accompanying me I was going to show him around since last time we were only here for a day.
My trip was started off roughly with a strange dream, though.
The party was amazingly loud as everything around me seemed to be pumping with the bass. I looked around, but my vision was strangely hazy. My mind was feeling a little fuzzy, so I knew right away that I must've been tipsy.
"Aaliyah."
I turned around, staggering with my steps. I blinked my eyes as I saw a kaleidoscope of the person.
Looks like I'm straight up drunk.
I made a sound in the back of my throat and wasn't sure who I was talking to. "Uh, yeah?" I rubbed my eyes and rubbed my collarbone. The features on the guy were hard to make out, but I had this itching feeling he was good looking. He smiled at me, revealing dimples. I tilted my head to the side and stared at him, trying to squint so I could see him better. My vision was falling sideways strangely and then suddenly there was a blackness in my vision.
Strong arms encased me, saying, "Shit." I pouted to myself and wondered how they were talking to me. "I think we need to get you out of here," the arms continued.
I snickered. "Whatever is cool with me big guy." There was a sigh and I swallowed, tiredly. I yawned as suddenly the loud, crowded party atmosphere dissipated and there was a quiet sound in my ears.
Silence, practically.
I opened my eyes, looking around. We were in a meadow, me in his arms on his abdomen. I sat up and glanced back at him. His face still looked a little blurry as he looked out. "H-How did we get here?"
There it was again. That dimple. "I brought you to some peace." I looked around at the blue sky, the green grass and the different colored flowers dotted around us. "Nice innit?"
I was struggling to process everything as I nodded slowly in agreement. "Very." I looked down at the ground, a deep frown of confusion imprinted into my expression. "How did...we get here, though?" I turned my head back to him and had to pinch an eye closed to see him, since the sun blazed behind conveniently. His face was still hard for me to really make out. I could see his eyes and nose and all, that dimple and his mouth especially, but I couldn't see his eye color or their details. It was like a blurry low quality photo.
He shrugged. "We can do whatever we want here," he told me. He tilted his head to the side. "Would you rather be doing something else?" I looked away.
Who is he? I wondered.
I felt his hand on my arm. "This is nice, right?"
I for some reason felt some sort of comfort in his touch and I smiled to myself, leaning back against him slowly. My nod was sluggish as I looked up at the cute clouds in the sky. "Yeah..." I smiled. "This is nice," I agreed. "I love..."
I love Zayn.
Is this cheating? Who is this person my mind has formed?
I sat up again and then moved so I sat across from him. His barely visible eyebrows rose and he tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong?"
I brought my hands up to my arms, rubbing on them as I grew cold. It was strange since the sun was right above us. "Who are you?" I demanded.
He was smiling again. He chuckled, throatily, leaning back casually. "You don't know. If you knew I could tell you."
I frowned harder and my mouth opened, looking for words to say. I was confused by what he meant. I couldn't read his expression I couldn't see it completely. "Why can't I see your face?" I questioned in the firmest voice I could manage. I wanted some fucking answers and I wanted them quick.
He laughed. "Just think about it, Aaliyah," he encouraged. He suddenly moved forward so he began to hover over me. In reaction I lay my body down with wide eyes of shock. He was on top of me suddenly and I just could think of how creepy this is. "You know my face. It's just buried somewhere deep in your mind. Think," he whispered beside my ear. "Think really hard."
I closed my eyes and thought like he instructed. What was this? Was this a dream? I opened my eyes, widely. "This is a dream," I said to myself, looking up at him.
He nodded. "It is." I nervously gulped, remembering the position he had me in. "You know my face, Liyah," he murmured. His hand moved to push a piece of hair behind my ear while my eyes remained trained on his face. "Just think."
His blurry expression shook like a TV going out when he wrapped his hand gently around the cross hanging from my neck. His lips parted open and right before I woke up I saw clear green eyes gaze at me in awe.
I groaned, confused by the freshly experienced dream. That was weird, I thought.
"What was?"
I gasped quietly, turning my head and lifting it. My eyes squinted, wincing at the sunlight coming in through the shades of my window. "Who is that?" I reached beside me for Zayn in panic, but felt stupid as I realized I was talking to him.
He laughed, "Relax, babe, it's me. Right over here." He reached so he could tighten the blinds of the windows a little more. It wasn't as dark as my eyes would've considered easy, but I rubbed my eyes and told myself to quit being a morning crab. "What was weird?"
I sighed. "Just a dream. Nothing big," I dismissed immediately, not wanting to think about it or especially talk about it with my boyfriend. I pushed my body up and then swung my legs over the bed. With a heavy exhale I stood to my feet so I could catch up to my boyfriend.
Once I was behind him I wrapped my arms around him from behind so they were around his neck, but wresting on his collarbone so I wasn't choking him. I snuggled my head into his neck and asked with my eyes drowsily trying to close on me. "Whatcha doin?"
He chuckled. "I'm looking at your yearbooks."
My eyes opened swiftly and I gasped as I saw my yearbook photo from seventh grade. "Oh my god, Zayn!" I said in exasperation.
He only laughed at me while I took in the fact that he seemed to be going through the yearbooks all from the beginning.
"How long have you been snooping?" I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.
He shrugged, that same adorable crooked smile on his face. "I woke up little over a half hour ago?" One of his eyebrows raised and he looked at me. He sighed a little and turned the chair, opening his arms. "Come here."
I jutted my bottom lip out like a child and sat in his lap, immediately making sure my arms looped around his neck. Since I had zero desire to look at my hideous teenage years, I nuzzled my face into his neck.
"Aww, quit being shy you were so precious," he lied.
I wasn't precious.
I was a fucking gremlin.
I made whining noises so he knew I disagreed.
I felt his hand brushing over my hair and thought of the mystery guy from my dream. I forgot what he looked like. I just remembered the blurry image and I know where I know him from, I think. He was the guy who saved me from the party.
My thoughts were interrupted by Zayn.
"You're still precious," he professed softly. I looked at him shyly and he brought my lips to his in a kiss. It was a nice kiss, but I made a sound of disapproval.
"Zayn, I just woke up," I got up, "I wanna go brush my tee-ah!" He pulled me back into his lap.
"Nope. I don't care, I'm not letting you go," he insisted, smiling down at me smugly.
I groaned, soon blessed by the sound of a knock on my door. Zayn glanced at the door so I rushed out of his arms into my bathroom.
"I made breakfast!" I heard my mom say.
"We'll be down soon!" I responded.
As I got out after my breath was minty Zayn smirked. "I'm gonna get ya."
-
"I don't want to be separated from you," I confessed to Zayn as we stood in the airport. Our week together had passed too soon for me.
He smiled down at me. "You'll be fine," he argued. "We'll be together again in a week. It'll pass quickly." I closed my eyes and hugged him as tightly as I could. I kissed his face while I was at it. I didn't get teary eyed or anything since it was just a week, but I knew that I was definitely going to miss him. Especially since I wanted a New Year's kiss with him, but if we lasted as long as I hoped, then there would be plenty other opportunities to achieve it.
I kissed him deeply on the mouth. "We'll text and skype and..." I felt more like I was talking to myself. "It'll be bearable." I held his face in my hands, dropping them to hold his. "It'll be like that." I snapped on a hand and he nodded with a laugh.
He leaned forward placing the most tender, loving kiss on my forehead. We stood there for a moment, just pressed against each other. I didn't want to be so far away from him. We were always a little close. But no longer. His lips brushed against the side of my face and finally he pulled back, looking into my eyes with his like honey.
"I love you."
I gasped very lightly.
He said it.
With shocked wide eyes I could only marvel at him. I heard something over the intercom or whatever, but I didn't pay any attention. He seemed a bit taken aback too, looking around briefly. He smiled shyly and bit his lip, nodding, "I gotta go catch my flight."
I blinked away my shock the best I could as he began to go off. "Wait! Zayn!" I rushed forward, grabbing onto him. I gave him one more kiss, hoping he could hold onto it till we see each other again. "I love you," I breathed. I smiled at him, glad to finally get it off my chest.
He smiled at me. "I know."
And then he was gone.
-
"Okay what the hell happened between you and lover boy?" Lena immediately began to interrogate. I was on cloud nine ever since Zayn and I shared our love for each other.
I shrugged, cluelessly. "Well we mostly did a lot of cuddling and kissing and stuff. I took him by my schools after he went through my year books. I showed him where I like to-"
"Skip to the big part, girl, you actin like you on dope or something," Lena interrupted. She and Ari immediately began cackling.
I could only smile to myself. I sighed, my state of euphoria still intact. "We said it," I breathed, holding myself in my arms. I closed my eyes, remembering that kiss, that moment when his eyes sparkled and his lips quirked in that cute, shy smile I adore so much after I said it back to him.
"Said what?" Lena said, clueless.
"Three words, eight letters?" Ari said at the same time.
"Yes!" I exclaimed, letting myself fall back in heaven. "Oh my god, it was so perfect!" I shook my head. "I've never felt this way about anyone else," I said, quietly, staring at the ceiling. "Not this strong, at least." I exhaled, happily. "I love him... so much." I made a face. "It kind of scares me, actually."
I lifted my head up and saw Lena shake her head. "Damn, Liyah, you sure fell hard," she commented.
I only shrugged and burst into giggles. Ariana had a bright smile. "That's so beautiful," she said out loud in awe. She shook her head. Her fingers began to fiddle and she watched them. "I want that, honestly."
I still couldn't fight the awful feeling in my stomach. Something bad is always waiting to pounce and I was inevitably worried about it breaking us apart after we'd just gotten each other.
Lena moved me so my head was in her lap. It reminded me of my dream and I brought it up. "Guys, I had the weirdest dream, like, a week ago."
I looked up to them and they nodded. "Continue."
I sighed. "It was weird. It started in a party and this guy starts talking to me. He's got this strange blurry face and so I can't really see him, you know?"
Lena grimaced. "Okay. That sounds like some creepy suspense movie shit," she told me.
I thought of it. "It did get creepy after a while. At first I thought it must've been because in my dream I was wasted, but he just took me outside and of course we changed scenes in an impossible way, because it was a dream. So we're in a meadow and he's just holding me and I think we were just talking to each other, but when I asked him who he was he said that if I knew then he could tell me. Isn't that weird?"
Ariana shook her head. "Not really. Even in dreams you only know as much as you know. Maybe he's someone you've seen who had a big impact on you, but you not knowing his name isn't going to change in your sleep."
I made a face. "That's the other thing. When I asked him why I couldn't see his face he was telling me to think about it because I knew it or something and in my dream the guy was just really... I don't know, a bit overly touchy... He looked at me and touched me like..." I thought of it. "It was like I was a prize or..." I shook my head, "a jewel, I don't know. And it was just weird because I did remember where I knew him from when I woke up."
I got quiet. I never told them about what happened to me at the party. Zayn was the only one who really knew other than the mysterious one and... well, the attacker was dead.
"When I... met the guy I didn't even really meet him," I began. "I was drugged up at a party," I mumbled.
They both gasped. "Liyah, what?" Lena demanded.
Ariana covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my god."
"That's the thing though, he-he wasn't the one who did it," I continued. "I was-" I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to calm myself so I didn't cry. I'd cried enough over that. Ariana grabbed one of my hands and Lena the other. "I was attacked by someone else and he almost did stuff, but this guy appeared and just..." I remembered the sounds of his knee colliding with the other guy's face and his dangerous sounds as he threatened him. "He beat the shit out of the guy..."
"I like him," Ari commented, quietly.
Lena chuckled, nodding. "I heard that," she drawled.
I closed my eyes. "But he... you weren't there. He was...terrifying. I remember him telling the guy he was going to kill him," I continued, slowly.
"He was just mad, boo. I'd say the same," Lena defended.
I smiled weakly. They don't get it, yet. "Maybe, but... the next morning the guy apparently commit suicide," I whispered. Ariana and Lena shared wide eyed looks. "And his girlfriend said he wasn't suicidal or anything and it was so-god, I felt sick when I met his girlfriend all sobbing and shit and then found out he was really dead." I shook my head. "I don't think he killed himself, guys, I-I think my mystery hero from my dream did it."
There was a thick silence as they processed everything I said. "Well, shit," Ari swore. "I'd avoid him. Have you seen him since?"
I thought about it and shook my head. "No. and it was a while ago. October, you know?" I suddenly remembered another striking detail from that night. "He said I belonged to him."
Lena ran her fingers through my hair comfortingly. "Well, if you see him again walk the other way. Hero or not, he... he sounds dangerous, Liyah."
I swallowed thinking of the gentle care he took with me, both that night and in my dream. "Yeah," I agreed, almost half-heartedly. I meant it though when I said, "I'll avoid him if I have to."
-
I'm sorryyyy. It's summer! I have no life now so I'm gonna try and pencil in weekly updates for my stories into it. maybe Monday and Tuesday can be my go to options for updating this (or Sunday??). anyways expect updates on this book early in the week. I'm gonna try Cute Bad News in the middle and then Innocence Lost and Control at the end, too (almost forgot about Control oh shit I have too many books posted).
Love you guuuyys. Please comment, vote, fan, and promote.
- Angie Bear
ZAYN RANT: Okay, so everyone knows about Zayn leavin, the Zouis fight, his little "soundcloud singles" and all that shit okay. Well, sOME Directioners are being HELLA SALTY. Now, please, just hear me out so I can try an ration with you if you're one of those people. (Tag someone or share this with them if you need them to cath the drift) For starters I just want to say that Zayn has never been an awful person. Not gonna lie, he's had his fair share of fire starting (remember the Wanted and then he bit at Louis sigh) but Louis has done some stuff. Now, don't worry, I know it's differeny since Louis did it outside the band, mostly, but Shahid I guess is supposed to be one of Zayn's friends, too, so he got a bit protective and defended him. Louis said they have talked it out since then so please if you're being salty about that, just rethink things.
BUT if you're one of the many who feel "betrayed or abandoned" let me get some things straight. Zayn isn't our parents. He is not legally bound to us or anything. He is a 22 year old boy who has been living in a spotlight for the past 5 years and it has gotten to him. He hasn't become a stuck up privileged dick or anything. In fact, Zayn is still the same humble, kind hearted, googly eyed baby boy he was before he left. Do not turn on him because he left the group. He made it clear that he tried to stick with us unhappily for a while, and honestly if you study his behavior, after early 2014 around the start of WWAT, you can visibly see how detached he slowly becomes. Should that be his fault? No. when 1D started he was 17 years old, a kid. He's a grown man and people evolve. Just like how you grow apart from friends in high school sometimes because you suddenly don't match the same, he could be going through that. Either way, it's his life and his happiness. He wasn't happy, he wanted out, please respect that even though you were hurt. Trust me, I was hurt, too. I hadn't cried that hard for years. i could hardly eat or resist crying for three days straight, but I came to terms with the fact that I wasn't letting Zayn go, because truth be told he never belonged to me or you or anyone but himself. So just accept things and stop being so inconsiderate, selfish, and privileged.
Props to you if you actually read all this.
ALSO here's another thought: this could actually all be a ploy he was forced into by his management contract for publicity, because that stuff happens and it's legit and tbh if Zayn wants to come back it could be because he actually never really wanted out, just think about that. :)